Kel-Morian Combine
|fgcolor= |race1=Terran |race2= |race3= |image=KelMorianCombine SC2 Logo1.svg |imgsize=250px |type=*Corporatocratic coalition *Renegade pirate militia |founding= |constitution= |leader=General Mah Sakai |headofstate= |headofgov= |commander= |executive= |legislative= |judicial= |affiliation= Terran Dominion (03/2500–09/2500) |strength= |capital=Moria |language=English |currency=Credits |holiday= |formed=Kelanis Shipping Guild and Morian Mining Coalition |established= |fragmented= |reorganized=*2489 (itself as a mining coalition under Confederate "protection") *March 2500 (itself as a mining coalition under Dominion rule) |dissolved= |restored=September 2500 (after the UED conquest of the Dominion) |status=Active }} The Kel-Morian Combine (KMC) is a terran organization. History The Kel-Morian Combine was formed when the Morian Mining Coalition and the Kelanis Shipping Guild merged out of fear that the Terran Confederacy might attempt to move in and use its military strength to regulate their lucrative operations. This shady, corrupt corporate partnership pledged military aid to any mining guild that was threatened by Confederate policy.Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Koprulu Sector Systems: Moria. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24. Led by General Mah Sakai, the two groups also banded together in order to maximize their ability to drain the resources from the numerous worlds within the Koprulu sector. The line between corporation and government vanished. Tensions heated up as the Confederacy continually stole Kel-Morian mining operations from locations such as the Paladino Belt and the world of Sonyan, actions internally justified that the Combine was composed of pirates and other criminals.McNeill, Graham (December 30, 2008). StarCraft: I, Mengsk. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 1416-55083-6. The Combine planned on war with the Confederacy so it could control all the scarce resources.Dietz, William C. (April 6, 2010). StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Gallery Books). ISBN 978-1416-55084-6. The Combine became increasingly antagonistic towards the Confederacy over its actions. The Guild Wars :Main article: The Guild Wars The war started when the Confederacy tried to steal the Noranda Glacier vespene operation on Onuru Sigma. The Confederates feared the Kel-Morian Combine had planned something big there. Alpha Squadron captain Edmund Duke and Dominion section lieutenant Arcturus Mengsk led an attack force, which fell into a carefully prepared ambush. The Confederates destroyed the complex when brigade-sized ground forces and battlecruisers descended onto the field of battle, forcing their retreat. This marked the official beginning of the Guild Wars. For nearly four years, the Combine battled the Confederacy on Char,Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-09-11. Koprulu Sector Systems: Char. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-09-11. Sonyan,Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-11-12. Cast of Characters: Horace Warfield. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-11-13. and Turaxis II.Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Cast of Characters: Jim Raynor. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24.Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Cast of Characters: Tychus Findlay. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24. During the war, Kel-Morian soldiers, known as rippers, continually made raids on Confederate bases, often more interested in plunder than in military victory. Victor Kachinsky led a guerrilla squad in surgical strikes against the Confederacy on Artesia Prime, using spider mines to soften up Confederate forces before an ambush.Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-11-12. Cast of Characters: Milo Kachinsky. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-11-13. The Combine developed the cerberus mine during its siege of New Austin.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Armory upgrades (in English). 2010. As the war drew on, it became obvious that the Combine couldn't last. In 2489, the Guild Wars ended with a skewed peace agreement whereby the Combine retained its autonomy but nearly all of its affiliated mining guilds were appropriated by the Confederacy. Aftermath of the Guild Wars The Combine became the largest non-Confederate organization operating within terran space. Equipped with thousands of armed troops and hardware, the Combine strictly enforced its myriad territorial operations. It was rumored that the Combine actually supplied the Confederacy with fuels and resources. So great was their political influence, the Confederate forces were banned from prosecuting the Combine for any potentially criminal action. Nonetheless, the Combine was effectively a shadow of what it once was; it was strength that even over a decade later, they were not able to regain.Brian Kindregan, Eldorian. 2010-10-28. Blizzcon: Interview with StarCraft 2 Lead Writer Brian Kindregan. Blizzplanet. Accessed 2010-10-31. Servitude and Independence Following the discovery of the zerg and the protoss in December 2499, the Combine went to great lengths to stay out of the conflict. In 2500, Moria came under the rule of the Terran Dominion.Underwood, Peter, Chris Metzen and Bill Roper. StarCraft: Brood War (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998. The Dominion Engineering Corps, an arm of the Kel-Morian Combine, assisted the Dominion by constructing a number of space stations for them.1998-10-09. Catwalk Alley. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-07-05.1998-12-22. Gemini Station. StarCraft Compendium Map Archives. Accessed 2007-10-14. During the Brood War, the Combine continued to operate while the United Earth Directorate dominated the sector, which Fenix found a surprising example of terran greed.Fenix: "It is strange that this Kel-Morian Combine continues to operate while the UED grips the Dominion with an iron fist. I'll never underestimate the motivational effects of Terran greed again!" StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Level/area: The Kel-Morian Combine (in English). 1998. The zerg under Sarah Kerrigan weakened some of Moria's defenses and destroyed a number of military and manufacturing facilities as they pilfered ten thousand minerals before departing.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft: Brood War. Vivendi Games. Mission: The Kel-Morian Combine (in English). 1998. After the Brood War, the Combine adopted the medivac dropship.Blizzard Entertainment Staff. 2010-07-24. Medivac. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24. Interbellum Operations The Combine achieved independence from the Dominion and competed with it for influence.Metzen, Chris; Chambers, Andy; StarCraft Legacy staff. 2009-04-03. BlizzCon 2007 StarCraft Lore Panel Editorial. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-05-18. In the years which followed the end of the Brood War, the Combine focused on building up its commercial empire. Although the rise of the Dominion caused concern among the Combine's leaders over the safety of their far-flung mining operations, they remained intent on claiming more worlds for plunder. The Combine frequently came into economic conflict with the Dominion, sabotaging their mining operations with nuclear weapons. Kel-Morian spies were known to arm themselves with nuclear detonators, blowing themselves up if captured.Waugh, James. "Changeling." (November 18, 2009). Blizzard Entertainment. Changeling: A Short Story by James Waugh Accessed 2009-11-18. The Combine valued alliance with opponents of the Terran Dominion, and struck an alliance of sorts with Jim Raynor c. 2502. Its leaders spent much time discussing matters with him. Raynor did not remain, however. Afterward the Combine continued to cover for Raynor.Furman, Simon (w), Federico Dallocchio (p, i), Milen Parvanov (col). "StarCraft #2" StarCraft 1 (2) (June 24, 2009) DC Comics (Wildstorm). Conflict with the zerg was viewed as another inevitability.Blizzard Entertainment staff. 2008-04-16. The Story so Far... Part 2: The Brood War. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2008-04-16. Despite its sparring with the Dominion, the Combine was capable of operating with it to an extent. Both Dominion and Kel-Morian citizens dwelt on Meteor Station (albeit with a degree of tension)Randolph, Grace (w), Seung-hui Kye (p, i). "Last Call." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 3 (paperback binding), pp. 90-131. Tokyopop, July 14, 2009. ISBN 978-1427-80832-5. and both sides cooperated against the Players' Club, a pirate band which attacked both sides.Neilson, Micky. "Stealing Thunder." (Oct. 13, 2010). Blizzard Entertainment. Stealing Thunder Accessed 2010-10-22. ]] The Combine staked a claim to mining and salvage rights over the Sara system shortly after its prospectors found that minerals on Mar Sara had acquired unique properties due to the protoss bombardment. When the Dominion established several outposts in the system, the Combine claimed that the outposts were established at their invitation due to security issues with piracy and mining camp revolts.Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Koprulu Sector Systems: Mar Sara. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24. Tensions still existed, the reasons including the Dominion shutting down the Combine's salvaging of the Jacobs Installation, the reasons having been put under Level Black censoring.Knaak, Richard (w), Naohiro Washio (p, 1). "Thundergod." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 1 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, August 1, 2008. ISBN 978-1427-81698-6. Things came to a head in 2504, when the Dominion annexed the planet.Metzen, Chris (w), Hector Sevilla (p, i). "Homecoming." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 4 (paperback binding), pp. 6-27. Tokyopop, October 1, 2009. ISBN 978-1427-81698-6. Combine officials were bribed by Tavish Kerr into hefting exorbitant taxes on Rory Swann's mining operation on Meinhoff. When Swann declared his operation's independence, the Combine responded by sending a military contingent to seize all of his assets. They crushed the revolt.Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Cast of Characters: Rory Swann. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24. After Victor Kachinsky was killed by Dominion ghosts in an attempt by Emperor Arcturus Mengsk to "simplify" relations, the Combine's response was angry but reserved, as it was in no place to mount any sort of military retaliation. Victor's uncle, Kelanis Guildmaster Abraham Kachinsky, made a speech about working toward peace with the Dominion. The Second Great War ]] As losses mounted during the zerg invasion of terran space in October 2504, the Combine abandoned its outlying worlds,Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. UNN newscast after "The Devil's Playground." (in English). 2010. including Redstone III,Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Wings of Liberty, The Devil's Playground (in English). 2010-07-27. causing markets to slump. The Combine denied responsibility for refugee massacres on Meinhoff.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. UNN newscast after "Outbreak." (in English). 2010. Retired general referred to the Combine as "useless".Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. UNN newscast after "Haven's Fall." (in English). 2010. The Combine told the Universal News Network that zerg sightings on Moria were a false alarm.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. UNN newscast after "Engine of Destruction." (in English). 2010. Protoss forces engaged Combine and Dominion forces on Moria at Remote Mining Station Four. Though it cost both the Dominion and Combine a great number of soldiers, the protoss were eventually pushed back from the outpost.McAleese, Danny. "Momentum." (May 22, 2013). Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft Lore: Momentum Accessed 2013-05-22. As events moved forward, the Combine began to play a greater role in Sector affairs. Following the war, the Combine was not viewed as a "viable enemy" to the Dominion and was barely holding together.2012-10-15. StarCraft II Creative Development Q&A - Part 2. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2012-10-15. Kel-Morian operations were present in the asteroid field where the Hyperion battled Mira's Marauders. They had a capital-class ship that was equipped with an electric field generator.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Heart of the Swarm, With Friends Like These... (in English). 2013-03-12. The Combine had some success on a space platform above Braxis Alpha, where its ghosts used nuclear missiles to obliterate both Dominion and protoss forces. The ghosts were subsequently overwhelmed by the zerg however.2007-05-19. Gameplay Trailer. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-08-12. Meteor Station went the same way, as due to the withdrawal of the Dominion Armed Forces stationed there, the colony was left to the mercy of the zerg. Thanks to Raynor's Raiders however, 800 civilians were able to escape with their lives.Medievaldragon. 2009-08-17.Starcraft II Single Player Hands On: Books and Single Player Lore Synch. Blizzplanet. Accessed 2009-08-23. End War During the End War, a Kel-Morian Combine mining colony, under the command of Guildmaster Deborah Greene, came under attack by Amon's Forces and an army of his infested terrans. Initial attack waves were led by a blightbringer, and the Umojan Protectorate eradicators sent to protect the colony malfunctioned. Greene called upon allied commanders to aid in the evacuation of the colony. The commanders successfully defended the evacuation transports as they escaped the planet, holding back both the infested, the hybrid and Amon's forces.Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Co-op Missions, Miner Evacuation (in English). 2016-11-22. Post-War Years after the End War, the Terran Dominion reformed under Emperor Valerian Mengsk and the Kel-Morian Combine were undergoing new trade negotiations, which looked to being close to approved.Katie Lockwell Twitter. Katie Lockwell's Twitter, accessed on 2016-03-22 Government ]] The Kel-Morian Combine is split into guilds. Each guild's leader is democratically elected, but once in that position, they are difficult to dislodge. The Terran Confederacy claimed the Combine's guild leaders were chosen through heredity, and family retainership was an acknowledged part of life. The Combine's population exceeds that of the Umojan Protectorate. Military During the Guild Wars, the Combine's military was organized along corporate lines. Soldiers such as rippers and outriders were used, though were effectively irregulars and were more poorly equipped than their Confederate counterparts. Like the soldiers' armor, Combine vehicles were effectively scrapped together from various sources and the Kelanis Shipping Guild functioned as an irregular, albeit effective, naval force. As per tradition stemming back to the days of Moria's first mining guilds, guild affiliation and specialization were inscribed on uniforms. The following ranks are known to have existed: *Overseer *Assistant Overseer *Foreman *Taskmaster The KMC also had an "Air Wolf" position/rank during the conflict. pilots]] The Guild Wars nevertheless weakened the Combine's military. By the Great War, the Combine's militia color was green. By the Brood War, its military was operating under more conventional lines. While weaker than the Dominion, the Combine is stronger militarily than the Umojan Protectorate, though is still not the powerhouse it used to be in the Guild Wars. The Combine has its own Ghost Program.Chris Metzen, Micky Neilson, Blizzplanet. 2009-02-09. Chris Metzen & Micky Neilson Pocket Star Books Lore Q&A Video Interview. Blizzplanet. Accessed 2009-02-09. However, this has been put on hold since the disastrous Guild Wars.Blizzard Entertainment. 2012-11-05. StarCraft II Creative Development Q&A - Part 5. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2012-11-05. Units *Dominion Engineering Corps (co-opted by Dominion Armed Forces) *Hammer Securities *Snakehead Kommando Territories :Main article: Kel-Morian Combine worlds ]] The Combine currently only holds a couple of planets, having lost many in both the Guild Wars and Second Great War: Worlds *Boone *Chau Sara *Chanuk *Feronis *Gamma Dorian (at least temporarily, along with the Confederacy in the Guild Wars) *Moria (capital world) **Brutus (moon of Moria, colonized) **Vito (moon of Moria, colonized) *Onuru Sigma (at least temporarily) *Raydin IV *Uilila IV *Warrant VI Other *Meteor Station (at least temporarily) *''Scrap Station'' Former ]] *Mar Sara *Meinhoff *Paladino Belt *Redstone III *Sonyan *Turaxis II Notable Members Main article: Kel-Morian Combine personnel *General Mah Sakai *Guildmaster Deborah Greene *Foreman Oleg Benson *Overseer Hanz Brucker *Overseer Aaron Pax *Tavish Kerr (merchant) Notes The establishment date of the Kel-Morian Combine is disputed. According to miscellaneous images extracted from StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, the Combine was established in 2376.2010-02-28, StarCraft II Beta Game Images. StarCraft Legacy, accessed on 2010-03-28 This date contradicts with the one provided in the timeline of StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils, which lists the Combine's founding as being in 2485.April 6, 2010. "Timeline". StarCraft II: Heaven's Devils. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). pp. 311 - 323. ISBN 978-1416-55084-6. However, that timestamp is contradicted by I, Mengsk. which doesn't state when the Combine was founded, but has it active as early as 2478. References es:Coalición_Kelmoriana Kel-Morian Combine Category:Terran governments